Page 190 of The Champion
“How’d you do?” Axel asked as we walked into the TulsaExpo Center around seven on Saturday morning.
I pointed to the plaque on the wall. “You tell me.” Myname appeared on the wall seven times, the first being in 1999 when I won theevent, my first time there.
Axel was calm and withdrawn that morning. Much like me,he retreated when he needed to focus spending much of his morning inside thehauler away from everyone. Lily made her way in there for a few minutes buteventually she too knew he needed to be by himself.
About an hour before driver introductions, my dad and Imade our way inside the hauler to check on Axel. He was sitting at the table, hishead resting on his arms hiding his face.
“You ever coming out of here boy?” Dad asked him pushinghim over so he could sit next to him. “I need some healthy competition outthere.”
“I’m hardly competition for you grandpa.” Axel answeredhis face still out of sight from us.
Dad nodded toward him and then the door before rubbingAxel’s back once. “See you on the track kid.”
Axel didn’t respond, just kept his head down. We satthere in silence before he finally looked up at me, “I’m...scared.” his voice was soft.
Instantly I saw the little boy I saw before his firstDirt Nationals, looking to me for advice and more than anything, reassurance. Iknew then everything my dad tried to warm me about when I was Axel’s age.Talent can only take you so far, he was right. Confidence, determination, and aclear level head are what win races and championships. To do that, you can’t besecond-guessing yourself. Something I never did of course but Axel, he worrieda lot about what others thought and turned to them for comfort.
“There’s not much I can tell you that will comfort youbuddy. I know you can do it.”
His eyes met mine, his expression wary. “With Grandpa outthere?”
“Every race I’ve ever won, I’ve looked at my competition.To be the best racer you can be you want to beat the best. Personally, if I wona race where grandpa or Justin and Tyler were in it...I would feel like Ireallywon.”
Axel seemed to understand but still held somenervousness.
“You got the talent buddy. I’ve seen you do it before,just keep that in here.” I tapped the side of his head.
We didn’t have much time but as we made our way outsideso he could get to driver introductions he hugged me. Really hugged me. Botharms wrapped around me tightly.
Kissing the top of his head, I returned the hug. “Go getem’ buddy.”
When the race started, Axel lined up behind Dylan Cottleand Cody Bowman in the fifth row beside Shane Jennings, a fellow USAC midgetracer he’d raced with since they were nine.
After a four-lap yellow in the beginning for a fewtangled cars on the start, Axel began moving up the field from his tenthstarting position. He hugged the inside edge of the track protecting hisposition, at times driving up on the berm for the first 15 laps.
With 18 laps to go, he passed Cody for fourth. With 14 togo Travis Quinn flipped bringing out the caution. When the race restarted,Hayden went airborne just before the start finish line and was in turn hit byShane Jennings, who also flipped.
After the yellow, the race was on with 12 laps to go.Axel was running fourth with Ryder, Justin and dad in front of him. He shotdown low with 9 to go and got past Ryder for third.
He bobbled a little on the backstretch allowing Ryder tocatch him again only to pass him on the front stretch.
“I think he can pull this off!” Tommy said nodding.
I couldn’t say anything. I was too busy biting my nails.Yeah, that’s right. Twelve time NASCAR Cup Champion biting his nails over hisson racing in the Chili Bowl.
Justin held his ground for two laps before Axel sweptpast him on the line. He was right on dad after that. Every move he made, dadblocked him just like he should. It was going to take more than just talent toget past old Jimi, Axel finally understood that when he pulled back about a carlength and followed every move he made, waiting for his opening. With one lapto go on a quarter mile track, everyone, including me and Tommy thought Jimihad the win.
I looked down for just a brief second as the cars cameout of turn two; the fifteen thousand fans went into an uproar, as did Spencerand Tommy beside me. Looking up, I saw Axel shoot up the track into thecushion, bounce off it and the inside rail only to slingshot forward into Jimi,their nurf bars banging. They came out of turn four side-by-side and Axelsimply drove away as if it was no effort.
My son learned the art of patience.
He had the car to beat his grandpa all along. But he knewif he made his move too soon, he’d spend the next few laps holding him off andeating up his tires potentially allowing him to get back by him. This way, Jimiwas the one that ate up his tires holding Axel off.
I nearly cried.
All those times my dad told me how proud he was of me andhow seeing your child living their dreams meant far more than winning yourself,that made sense to me now.
Tommy and Spencer hugged me, Van and Aiden hugged eachother. Casten was screaming with Lane, Cole, Noah and Charlie as we watched ourown bring home the victory.
